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At first glance, this might appear to be a book on mathematics, but it is really intended for the practical engineer who wishes to gain greater control of the multidimensional mathematical models which are increasingly an important part of his environment. Another feature of the book is that it attempts to balance left- and right-brain perceptions; the author has noticed that many graph theory books are disturbingly light on actual topological pictures of their material. One thing that this book is not is a depiction of the Theory of Constraints, as defined by Eliyahu Goldratt in the 1980’s. Constraint Theory was originally defined by the author in his PhD dissertation in 1967 and subsequent papers written over the following decade. It strives to employ more of a mathematical foundation to complexity than the Theory of Constraints. This merely attempts to differentiate this book from Goldratt’s work, not demean his efforts. After all, the main body of work in the field of 1 Systems Engineering is still largely qualitative . less

Motivations: What is Constraint Theory and why is it important?- The Four-fold way: How to Perceive Complex Mathematical Models and Well-Posed Problems.- General Results: From Protomath to Math to Metamath.- Regular Relations: Searching for the Kernels of Constraint.- Discrete and Interval Relations: The Diminished Utility of Metamodels.- The Logical Structure of Constraint: Theory A Compact Summary.- Examples of Constraint Theory Applied to Real-World Problems.- Manager and Analyst Meet Again: Gists and Schizophrenia.

In the press

Dr. George Friedman is indisputably the father of the very powerful methods of Constraint Theory. Indeed, in 1970 it received major commendation by the IEEE: Dr. Friedman's pioneering research was awarded the highly prestigious W.R.G. Baker prize as the most significant published research contribution among thousands of published research papers. This speaks volumes for Dr. Friedman's contribution. --Cornelius T. Leondes, UCLA

Friedman's accomplishment represents engineering at its finest. The choice of subject matter must be honored by the experience gained in his many years of high-level service in the company now known as Northrop-Grumman. The credibility of the theory rests upon the formal proofs which are interspersed among the illuminating hypothetical dialog sequences between manager and analyst, which bring out distinctions that the organization must face, en route to accepting Friedman's work as essential to achieve quality control in developing and applying large models. --John N. Warfield